Xia Qingtian then briefly recounted the events of the previous night, "It was your sudden appearance that stopped them from killing me."
"You're saying someone in this manor wanted to kill Aunt Camille, and not just one person!?" Jean Lingor was completely awake now, any trace of sleepiness gone.
"Yes," Xia Qingtian couldn't tell Jean Lingor about what she had heard in her previous life, so she could only describe the danger as vividly as possible. "Jean Lingor, listen to me..."
He tried to stand up but felt a sharp pain in his back, managing to prop himself up against the doorframe.
If only he had gone to sleep in his bed last night.
Ignoring the pain, Jean Lingor pressed his cheek against the door, listening intently to Xia Qingtian's words and nodding occasionally in agreement.
Now, Jean Lingor felt that Aunt Camille's safety was paramount, even more so than his rebellion and freedom.
Since there was still an unseen threat within the manor, Jean Lingor and Xia Qingtian decided not to inform Mrs. Camille for the moment, to avoid alerting the enemy.
During breakfast, Xia Qingtian proactively brought up Jean Lingor with Mrs. Camille.
Mrs. Camille seemed somewhat surprised that Xia Qingtian would mention her unaccomplished nephew.
"He helped me before; he's a kind person," Xia Qingtian said. "Besides, on a day like today, it wouldn't be right to keep him confined."
"What did that boy say to you?" Mrs. Camille shook her head with a sigh. "He's a master at playing the innocent and begging for mercy. If you fall for his sweet talk, you'll regret it."
"No, I just want to return a favor," Xia Qingtian said with a gentle smile. "This way, if he runs off today, I'll take the blame."
Hearing Xia Qingtian say this, Mrs. Camille narrowed her eyes slightly, as if appraising her.
Xia Qingtian met Mrs. Camille's gaze with a confident and graceful smile.
"Many girls want to marry into the Lingor family," Mrs. Camille's smile held a different undertone.
"But, as the saying goes..."
"Brilliant and sparkling jewels are always guarded by dragons."
Mrs. Camille's voice was languid; even such barbed words were spoken with an elegant charm.
"I have no interest in the Lingor family; I just want to return a favor," Xia Qingtian stated.
"Alright," Mrs. Camille said. "However, this time, I'm doing it as a favor to Mr. Gu. Tell him he owes me one."
A slight stiffness flickered across Xia Qingtian's smile; she hadn't intended to involve Mr. Gu.
But before she could say anything, Mrs. Camille had already sent for Jean Lingor to come downstairs.
Seeing this, Xia Qingtian could only take a deep breath, praying for things to go smoothly today and hoping she'd have a chance to apologize to Mr. Gu properly.
She really hadn't meant to drag him into this.
Mrs. Camille glanced at Xia Qingtian from the corner of her eye.
What was the saying?
This standard socialite, while beautiful, had an air of calculating self-interest about her.
Even if she truly had no intention of marrying into the Lingor family, she likely wanted to connect with them to benefit her own family.
She was seeking a more independent and free spirit, a woman of complexity and multifaceted beauty.
It's just that...
Perhaps her current requirements were too stringent; such a woman was truly hard to find.
For now, she hoped the banquet tonight would go smoothly. If she found what she was looking for, it would be best, but if not...
She would rather seal that design away than treat it carelessly.
After all, it was a style she had designed with the man she cherished most, representing her most precious memories of those five years.
Jean Lingor's arrival interrupted Mrs. Camille's thoughts. Her gaze landed on him, and her eyes lit up. "Weren't you crying your eyes out last night, saying you'd never wear these ridiculous clothes?"
Jean Lingor was dressed in a dark-colored men's suit, his tie adorned with an exquisitely designed tie clip. A small triangle of colorful pocket square peeking from his breast pocket served as an excellent embellishment.
He was also wearing a pair of brand new soft leather Oxford shoes, completing the standard formal attire.
"After all, these are clothes Aunt Camille picked out for me. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have that," Jean Lingor said, then winked playfully at Xia Qingtian.
Xia Qingtian merely smiled faintly and continued with her breakfast.
The original plan she had discussed with Jean Lingor was to first release him, and then have him stay by Mrs. Camille's side for the entire day.
Jean Lingor was more familiar with everyone in the manor than Xia Qingtian. With him, a man, acting as Mrs. Camille's protector, it was far more effective than Xia Qingtian trying to be cautious alone.
Xia Qingtian, on the other hand, would investigate the villa. As a guest, if she were discovered, she could claim to be lost or offer other excuses.
Xia Qingtian needed to find evidence of the maid's wrongdoing and the whereabouts of her accomplice in the limited time she had.
Jean Lingor had Mrs. Camille laughing heartily. "Always so flippant. Let's see if you can keep your glib tongue when Meryl arrives."
Upon hearing Mrs. Camille mention his mother's name, Jean Lingor couldn't help but shudder and force a dry laugh. "Aunt Camille, you have to help me then. We're allies in our unconventionality!"
"You're unconventional; don't drag me into it," Mrs. Camille waved her hand dismissively, then propped her chin on her hand, looking captivating. "Beautiful and pure men are my source of inspiration. While I'm not with any one particular man, I am married to art."
"Married to art, and then had affairs with multiple handsome and excellent men, right?" Jean Lingor mumbled, shaking his head. "Before, you disappeared without a word for five years, and it turned out you were living in some Spanish town under a pseudonym with a man for five years! And the time before that, we all thought you went to America to feed pigeons, but you were so smitten with a handsome man at the airport that you changed your flight to Dubai on the spot! You always disappear and reappear suddenly, you really are..."
"Yes, I went to Dubai. And then?" Mrs. Camille asked.
"You designed that globally popular 'Night and Stars' collection for Voice," Jean Lingor's demeanor weakened considerably.
"And what happened after I returned from Spain?" Mrs. Camille continued.
"You secured the position of K&S Fashion Director with a design I hadn't seen before, and it was predicted that this design would be the most outstanding work of the century," Jean Lingor's demeanor weakened further. "Alright, I admit Aunt Camille isn't unconventional. Happy now?"
"Heh." Mrs. Camille chuckled, picked up her goblet, and took a sip of her breakfast wine.
Xia Qingtian, who had been listening with a smile, suddenly hesitated when she repeatedly heard the keyword "Spanish town." She tentatively asked, "Spain? Is it the Basque... region?"
Xia Qingtian remembered that the maid had spoken Basque.